Darkness and Fears to Appease
by Redhood79
Summary: Takes place a few months after the end of Tin Man. Glitch has his brain back, Raw is living in peace with his own kind, Cain is off helping put the O.Z. back to rights, and D.G. is in Finaqua learning what life is like for a princess.
1. Darkness and Fears to Appease

Title: Darkness and Fears to Appease

Rating: PG

Pairing: Cain/DG, slight mention of unrequited Glitch/Queen

Disclaimer: Don't own anything curses Frank L. Baum and Sci-fi do. The title comes from the Vienna Teng song "Eric's Song".

Spoilers: All three parts.

Summary: Takes place a few months after the end of Tin Man. Glitch has his brain back, Raw is living in peace with his own kind, Cain is off helping put the O.Z. back to rights, and D.G. is in Finaqua learning what life is like for a princess.

Everything had happened so fast afterwards. Her mother, Queen Glinda as DG found out was the lavender eyed woman's name, quickly took back the reins of power. She was not as she once was, Glitch informed DG, her inner light now entirely belonging to DG. But the Queen knew what had to be done.

Glitch had his brain restored, though you could barely call it that. Putting the brain back proved just as difficult and frightening as extracting it. He still forgot things and sometimes repeated himself but he was different from the Glitch he had been before. Everyone, except DG called him by his true name, Ambrose.

"He's in love with mother," Azkadillia stated a few weeks after his brain had been returned to him.

"What?!" The two sisters were at Finaqua, taking some "much needed rest" as the Queen told all inquiring minds.

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed, little sister," Azkadillia smiled.

Sure, Glitch was attentive to the Queen, to all three of the royal women in fact, but really.

"Oh my god," DG said. It made sense. The way he looked when Glinda gave him the slightest compliment. That sadness in his eyes whenever the Queen retired to her quarters with Ahomo. "Poor, Glitch," she whispered. Azkadillia heard her though. She heard her even when she said nothing at all. The two girls' bond had grown stronger everyday, just as DG's memories did.

"Yes, unrequited love can be so sad," Az nodded. "Of course I wouldn't know first hand." Az gave DG a knowing look which the latter ignored. The two were walking by the great surrounding the "special place". DG picked up a stone and skimmed it across the surface. She kept her eyes on the water until the ripples slowly died out. "We might both find out soon enough though," Az stated. DG looked up.

"What'd mean?"

"As soon as Mother has everything just right she's going to properly introduce us into the O.Z. society, for the sole purpose of marrying us both off and securing the future of the royal line." Az said this very calmly, like she had known forever, which maybe she had. She had so much more knowledge about courtly manners and life than DG, even if she had been trapped with the witch for so long.

"That…she wouldn't…She just got us back!" DG rubbed the back of her hand over her eyes. Being royalty was not as neat and easy as all those fairy tales and Disney movies made it seem. "Well, at least I won't have to worry about it," DG reasoned aloud. "_You're_ the crowned princess, next in line for the throne. It's your job to secure the line. I should have a little leeway in who I marry…If," she added quickly. Brilliant blue eyes popped into her head, eyes she hadn't seen in moons, and she quickly banished them. Az let out a laugh, like a thousand tiny bells.

"Well, I may feel that my time is better spent with more important matters than marriage and babies. Perhaps I shall leave the throne to one of my little nieces."

DG had learned through her many lessons with Toto that the O.Z. royal line passed through the females. Her father was not in fact King, but held the title of Royal Consort.

DG was about to shoot back some witty reply to her big sister, at least in her mind, when the two turned simultaneously back toward the road leading to the Finaqua Palace. Toto, in human form, was making his way out of the maze.

Az smiled. "Time for your lessons," she said in a sing song voice. DG rolled her eyes. Az took lessons as well, but not as many it seemed as DG. DG had to relearn the whole history of the O.Z. as well as its custom. She had to spend hours looking over maps of the different territories of the O.Z. as well as its bordering zones.

"It's time for you to rest isn't it?" DG retorted.

Az showed signs of her old self, was really worse than she would let on. Years of being a host to the witch's soul had wrecked havoc on both her psyche and body. Some days she could barely stand up from pain. DG's presence helped, as did the emerald which kept permanent residence around Azkadillia's neck. Over the last few months she had regained most of her strength and level-headedness as a result of the emerald, the nearness of DG, and several potions concocted just for her. Azkadillia refused to show any weakness, knowing that many in the O.Z. were just burning with wanting to be able to denounce her right to the throne, to her very right to breathe even. The Queen refused to allow any prosecution take place against her eldest daughter, knowing full well that Az's actions over the last annuals were not of her own doing. Her families faith in her was helpful with her recovery, but still the guilt hounded her.

Since the first night Azkadillia had become herself wholly all those months ago she was plagued with nightmares. DG, who had refused to sleep separate from her sister, had been there to wake Az up and to wipe away her tears. DG had repeated over and over how it was not Az's fault, holding onto her big sister until morning, a faint glow emitting from both of them all the while. The nightmares still plagued Az, not as frequently as they did in the first few months, but DG could tell when her sister had had one.

Three hours later DG retired to her quarters, right across the hall from Azkadillia's. She had been using these rooms for almost two whole months, yet she had hardly done anything to make it her own. The walls were painted an egg's bird blue. Everything was white, the tables, her bureau. The only thing that really showed that this was DG's were the numerous sketches thrown about the room and hung up on the walls.

DG threw herself on her bed and closed her eyes and concentrated. She knew now, through her lessons with Toto, that she could locate anyone in the O.Z. using her magic. Rarely a day went by that she didn't look in on her birth parents, busy with restoring the palace in the north, or Glitch, who had completed his Sun-seeder and was overseeing the restoration of the farms throughout the O.Z. She even looked in on Raw once every few days. He was with his own kind in the east, apparently where his people had originally come from. There was just one person she never looked for. The one she most desperately wanted to see above all others.

"You could just ask him to come back."

DG sat up to see her sister in the doorway. She loved Az and normally loved how close their bond was. How it was like they could read each others minds. Now though she found it irritating.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, looking out to the balcony. Anywhere but into her sisters dark eyes.

"Please DG." DG looked at her but refused to answer.

Three weeks after the eclipse Cain had come to her, asking permission to leave her _service_ to accompany his son to Central City to restore some semblance of order. He had already received permission from the Queen, asking DG was really just a formality.

Cain had immediately been made head of the young princess's security detail. He followed DG everywhere, or if he couldn't made sure the best man around could, which was usually his son Jeb, but DG never thought of him as a bodyguard or a Tin Man. He was her friend. She used the times alone with Jeb to learn more about the young man's father. Jeb himself knew so little about the man who helped bring him into the world, but he shared what little he could. Childhood memories, anecdotes that made both young people smile.

Then it started. DG's world ripped apart again just as badly as it had once she passed through that storm. Raw was leaving with his own kind. She would miss him, but knew what family meant and did not begrudge Raw for leaving. She hardly saw Glitch at all. Doctors and wizards were working around the clock to restore his brain. When he did get his marbles back he spent all his time with the Queen or fiddling with that machine of his. His loss stung DG a bit, but she understood Glitch had duties. But Cain….her Tin Man….

"Like it would matter." DG's throat felt scratchy from the force of will to hold back tears.

"He would come back," Az said reassuringly.

DG had been speechless at Cain's request. He was going to leave her too. Of course he wanted to be with his son. He had a whole life before her. It was childish to hope that she was such a paramount in his life. It was his job to protect her. His stupid sense of honor, though he didn't admit it, that kept him from letting her wander off to find her own way to Central City. His Tin Man view of justice to stay beside her, to free the O.Z. from Azkadillia's supposed tyranny.

Dry mouthed she gave her permission. And he just walked away. She had thought he would wait. Let them have a proper goodbye. But the next morning she found out that he had left with Jeb at first light.

She had gone through the rest of the day, hell the week, in a trance. Seeing, but feeling blind, hearing but deaf, able to speak but it hurt to form any words. Her mother had looked on worried. Thankfully she only thought it was latent posttraumatic stress from everything that had happened up until the eclipse. She offered her two bruised daughters a safe haven to retreat to at Finaqua which both gladly took.

"Leave me alone, Azkadellia," DG laid back down on her bed. She knew the words would hurt her sister and felt a little twinge of guilt hearing Az leave.

"It's a shame." Leave it to big sis to get in one last shot. "You're so alike. Both satisfied to completely disregard your hearts."

He would come back if she asked him to. For his duty and honor. She was nothing but a kid to him after all, right?

_I'll see you down the road, Princess_.

That's what he had said before leaving the room, leaving her life. Though Cain was hundreds of miles away, maybe thousands, she had never felt closer to him. Him walking away from her had been the first steps in her creating her own tin prison around her own heart.


	2. Push

Title: Push

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Don't own anything…L

Summary: Companion piece to my little fic _Darkness and Fears to Appease_. You don't really have to read it to get this. Takes place even more months after the eclipse in my previous piece. Cain muses on certain things including a certain princess.

Central City had been a shell of its former self during the annuals of Azkadillia's rein. No, not Azkadillia. The witch. Still, there were plenty of folk around who still blamed the crowned princess, possessed or no. He didn't have the authority to control what people said against the royal family, as much as he might like too. Those who were apposed to the reestablished regime where the corrupt who had prospered under the Witch's reign; slave traders; an endless amount of long coats; vapor dealers; any and all sorts of criminals.

Needless to say Cain had been busy the first few months after his return to Central City. Hell, him and Jeb had had enough trouble as they cut their way across the O.Z. to the city; damn renegade long coats. Now though, with the Tin Men firmly reestablished and crime dropping to near nonexistence, the city began to rebuild itself into the jewel of the O.Z. it had once been. Honest folk began to migrate back to the city. Commerce and industry began to prosper. Buildings were fixed, new ones erected. The city seemed to shine.

Cain should have been content or at least settled. His relationship with his son had flourished just as Central City had. Jeb Cain was the type of boy who made a father proud. His years in the resistance molded him into a perfect fit for a Tin Man; just like his old man.

Better still, Jeb was no longer heartless. He had taken up with a young nurse who worked at Central City's hospital. Jeb had confessed to wanting to marry the girl and settle down. Needless to say when Jeb wasn't working he spent every waking hour with the girl.

This left Cain with a lot of alone time. He was used to it, Gods knew. Time to himself, to keep company with only his thoughts, had never bothered him. Not until _her_.

He had given his son sound advice. Without heart you had nothing. He couldn't follow it himself of course. From the first moment he had met that little slip of a girl he had pushed her away. Calling her nothing but a kid, one who would turn tail and run at the first sign of trouble, contrary to what he'd seen. She had blindly run into a fight to rescue complete strangers, his family, even if it was just a hologram. His comments had made her angry, as they probably would anyone. Instead of holding it against him she let them run right off her, after some much entitled wit on her part.

His cynicism and gruff demeanor barely phased her. Her perkiness and hope, along with her ability to trust others too easily, should have made her annoying. Instead he found himself drawn to her for it. If she wasn't the way she was he wouldn't have cared for her as much as he did.

And he did care for her, damn all. More than he should. He had tried to tell himself that it was just gratitude for her getting him out of the box, that she was the princess and the only one capable of stopping Azkadillia. That it was just his so called Boy Scout syndrome cropping up. With the whole battle to save the O.Z. happening too much was going on for him to stop and think about what DG really meant to him. Afterwards though…

Everything before had been so intense. Over the next few hours and days after the eclipse he saw DG tranquil, truly at peace, since the first time he had met her. Sure it took some time. Azkadillia was weak and had to be taken to bed immediately. Az's recovery would be long, both physically and emotionally, but she would live. DG told this to Glitch, Raw, and Cain later that night. The Queen and Ahamo had left to rest themselves and get some much needed private time. DG refused to leave her sisters side or even rest. She looked paler than they had ever seen her and dark circles formed under her eyes.

"I don't know about anybody else but I could sure use some food," Glitch said. He grinned sheepishly off their looks, ashamed of his selfish thoughts.

"I'm fine," DG said, her voice like dust on dry paper. Cain sent Glitch and Raw out of the roomn to search for sustenance for them all.

"You need to rest, DG." He stood at the foot of the bed the two sisters were on. DG was sitting up, towering over Azkadillia's unconscious form, protecting her it seemed.

"Look who's talking."

He couldn't stop himself from smirking. She just had to talk back.

Az recovered. She was even able to leave the room within the first week, thanks in part to DG. The two sisters were constantly in each others company. Cain had sworn to protect DG, so he was always present during the time the two sisters spent together. He could tell that Azkadillia truly cared and loved her little sister, but even this didn't do much to help him overcome the anger he felt towards the crowned princess. True, she hadn't been in control of herself, but he still found it hard to trust, let alone even look, at the elder princess.

"I know this must be hard for you," DG said as he escorted her back to her own quarters after a visit with Az. He quirked an eyebrow. "Don't be like that!" She punched him in the arm. "You can talk to me you know."

"Princess, I spend all day following you around. You're about the only person around I do talk to, who's worth talking to anyway." DG turned a faint pink. Cain pretended not to notice her change.

"You know what I mean." She stopped walking and stood in front of him, closer than would be considered proper. "You don't have to act all…_you_ around me." Cain smirked.

"How else am I supposed to act, Highness?" DG growled in frustration.

"Quit it with the 'princess' and 'highness' crap! We're alone." She was angry. Really angry it seemed.

"Look, I'm sorry kiddo." The look she gave him stated that she didn't much care for that term of endearment either. "DG…I don't know exactly what it is you want here." He placed his hand on her shoulder. She was so small and fragile. Yet he had seen how strong she was.

DG took a deep breath and looked him right in the eye, blue on blue. "I know you're not exactly the most touchy feely guy in the O.Z…." Understatement of the year. "…But I know it must be hard. Being around Az. Seeing your son acting so grown up…" She trailed off. They stared into each others eyes for a few seconds. Cain let his hand fall away and DG gave off a light shiver from the loss of its warmth. Without even thinking she stepped up on her tiptoes and hugged him. "…I…You can talk to me about anything is all I'm trying to say." Her words muffled into his chest. Her and hugging…

He resolved not to be so formal with DG ever again, even if she started it. Over the next few days he had Jeb take over shadowing DG. He was bored out of his mind most of the time, especially when the two princesses were with the royal seamstress. He needed the time away from her though. He was enjoying it too much. Not the job, he had always wanted to be a Tin Man, protect the weak and innocent, though DG was hardly either. He was enjoying being around her too much. And it seemed the feeling was mutual. Every morning when DG woke up and walked out into the hall Cain was already their, no matter what. When DG saw him she would smile, a smile he didn't see her use with anyone else.

"One of these days, Mr. Cain, I am going to beat you out here," she said, taking his hat from his head and placing it on her own. She liked to tease him about his hat every chance she could.

"Not likely," he replied, taking it back. It was probably nothing. The girl was friendly with everybody. Still if DG _was_ starting to feel something for him besides friendliness…

It was dangerous, not to mention impossible. She was royalty for the gods' sakes. He was a Tin Man. No matter what station the Queen handed to him, he was still just a lowly Tin Man inside. He couldn't afford to let anything happen between them, even enough to just start rumors. He was more worried about what she was feeling. He was confidant he could keep his emotions in check; he always did. Still he was worried he might slip up. He might get sloppy and slack on his duties. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to DG, especially if it was because he was suffering delusions of grandeur. DG's safety came first above all else. He knew what he had to do.

Even now, months and miles later, the look she had given him when he said he wanted to go to Central City with Jeb haunted him. He knew in that instant that he hadn't been imaging things. She wouldn't look him in the eye as she asked him questions.

"How long do you think you'll be gone?" Her voice sounded broken. It was all he could do not to take her in his arms.

"Awhile. There's a lot of work to do." He couldn't look her in the eye either. "Don't worry, you'll still be safe. I made sure. You and your sister have the best men looking after you. They're from the resistance so they can be trusted."

"They're not the best," DG whispered. He pretended not to hear. Pretended not to notice so many things like he had done so many times over the last few weeks in regard to her.

"I'll see you down the road, Princess."

She looked up at him then, her eyes brilliant and blinding. The sooner he left the better. So he had taken the cowards way out. If he had stayed any longer, aloud for a proper farewell, one or both of them might crack.

Worse than that image of her face the last time was what he supposed DG must have thought, must be still thinking, about him. She wouldn't understand. She would think that his leaving so abruptly was easy for him. That he was just a heartless bitter old man with no attachment to her, when in fact it was the total opposite. She would no doubt hate him. As she should. It would make things so much easier. She would be the one doing the pushing away when they met again.


End file.
